Bipolar At 8 yrs... Without "RAGE" Episodes

by Robin Bailey
(Louisville, KY.)

Where are all the stories about people like me??? I had my first Panic Attack at age 4. I began to display symptoms of mixed mania without any rages!!! I had severe "social anxiety" with several Panic Attacks a day.


When I turned 12 my mother passed away and it understandably turned my world and Bipolar upside down. I really struggled as most of us do..I was not diagnosed until age 26. I am now 41. I have Bipolar 1 with Mixed Mania and Rapid Cycling. Does anyone have a similar story? Everything I read talks about the horrible rages experienced by Bipolar kids. I'm thinking because I had such severe shyness with the Social anxiety..


I must have just internalized everything. It was Bipolar symptoms (no doubt)even without the outbursts. Mania came and went, the depression was ALWAYS THERE.


Hi Robin

I am so sorry you had to lose your mom at such a young age. I don't think we really understand bipolar disorder in children. All children don't rage, and many kids also have anxiety in addition to the other symptoms. It sounds as if you have additional diagnoses on top of your bipolar disorder also that all people don't have. Additionally Demetrius Papolos is working on understanding the clusters of different symptoms, such as anxiety, and has conceptualized this as a fear of harm phenotype. You may be interested to read about this.


Thanks for sharing!

Sincerely

Kristen McClure